Guide for replacing electric trolleys



(No Model),

0. FORTIN. GUIDE FOR REPLACING ELECTRIC TROLLEYS.

No. 480,766. Patented Aug. 16, 1892.

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UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

CHARLES FORTIN, OF FLORISANT, MISSOURI.

GUIDE FOR REPLACING ELECTRIC TROLLEYS SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 480,766, dated August 16, 1892.

Application filed April 11, 1892- Serial No. 428,607. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be itknown that I, CHARLES FORTIN, a citizen of the United States, residing at Florisant, in the county of St. Louis and State of Missouri, have invented a certain new and useful Guide for Replacing Trolleys, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description.

My invention relates to means and devices to aid in replacing the trolley-wheel on the overhead trolley-wire in electric-tramway service.

It'has for its object the provision of an inexpensive device, easily applied to the alreadyexisting trolley-poles, and practically operative under the present systems of overhead wiring, as at crossings, &c.

It consists in the hereinafter-described device as attachable to the trolley-pole, in the method of securing it to the trolley-pole, and in the consequent features of improvementin the method of operation.

In the accompanying drawings, in which like numbers of reference denote like parts in the several figures, Figure 1 is a side elevation of the upper end of a trolley-pole with myimproved guide attached. Fig. 2 isa view in line with the trolley-wire, the pole not being shown; and Fig. 3 is a plan view of what is shown in Fig. 1.

1 is the trolley-wire, which is supported over the tracks by the hangers 2, which are secured to the cross-street supporting-wires 3. The trolley-wheel at, which is revolubly secured in the end of the trolley-pole 5, is normally held up against the trolley-wire 1 in approximately the relatively-inclined position shown in Fig. 1 by the spring-tension applied to the foot of the pivoted trolley-pole 5, as in ordinary practice.

My replacing device consists, as an extension of the trolley-pole 5, in the spreader-arms 7 and 8, which, as shown in Figs. 2 and 3, extend to a convenient distance beyond the trolley-wheel and in an inclined direction to a convenient distance laterally to either side of the same. This, as shown in Fig. 2, offers catch the Wire.

and 8 rigidly to the trolley-pole is altogether feasible when the trolley-wire 1 is a straight continuous Wire, and the cross supportingwires 3 are somewhat removed vertically from the same; but, in general, there are cross trolleywires and turn-out fixtures which would strike and interfere with the arms if retained in the vertical position, as described. For this reason I form these arms as the extensions of a bifurcated lever device, (illustrated in Figs. 1 and 2,) and pivotally secure the same at some convenient point near the upper end of the trolley-pole, adapting the arms 7 and 8 to be depressed to a trailing position below the level of the trolley-wire 1 (see Fig. 1) and obstructions at the same level. For this purpose the two parts, 7, 8, and 10 are bent so as to make an angle at the pivot-point relative to the line of the trolleyole. p While it is evident that the point of attachment of the guide 10 7 S to the trolley-pole is a matter depending on circumstances, Ipreferably make this point of attachment at the axis of the trolley-wheel 4, merely replacing the ordinary axle-bolt 11 by one somewhat longer, ,which, in this instance, is passed through perforations made thereforin the two forks of the guide-piece at a proper point in their length. The guide-piece 1O 7 8 being loosely pivoted on the bolt 11, and the two parts-the closed end 10 and the arms 7 and 8 being counterbalanced, orthe arms 7 and 8, being somewhat the heavier, will seek to assume a horizontal position or as nearly so as the inclination of the trolley-pole 5 will permit, the lower closed end 10 striking against the same, as shown in Fig. 1. This normal inclination of the pole 5 at once in any given case decides the angular-deviation of the arms 7 and 8 beyond the pivot-bearing 11 from the line of the closed end 10thatis, to bring the trailing ends of the arms 7 and8 to alevel low enough, when the closed end 10 is against the trolley-pole, as indicated in Fig. 1, to pass any likely obstruction. \Vith this arrangement the trolley-rope 9 is fastened by any convenient means, as the eye 12, to the lower end of the closed depending member 10, so that whenever the rope 9 is taken hold of to depress the pole 5 it will raise the projecting arms 7 and 8 to a more vertical position, as

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seen in dotted lines in Fig. 1. When the pole is allowed to rise to catch the wire 1, the wire 1 will be caught in the V-shaped opening between the arms 7 and 8, as indicated in Fig. 2, and be directed to the trolley-wheel 4.

In order that the wire 1 in sliding down either of the arms 7 or 8 will not catch on the outer circumferential edges of the trolleywheel, the arms 7 and 8 are formed with inwardly-extending offsets 13 just beyond the diametrical dimensions of the trolley-Wheel, so that when the wire 1 slides therefrom it will be sure to enter the circu inferential groove formed in the trolley-wheel therefor.

It is evident that without departing materially from the salient features of my invention I might place the fulcrum-point of my guide-piece somewhat lower down the pole when it is required to provide for greater clearance between the arms 7 and 8 and the trolley-wire 1 when the arms are in the depressed position shown in Fig. 1, at the same time making the arms 7 and 8 longer.

I claim- 1. In combination with a trolley-pole and trolley secured in the end of same, the hereindescribed replacing device pivotally secured to the trolley-pole, consisting in bifurcated lever-arm, the lower depending member of which is closed and provided with means of attachment for a rope to operate the same, and the upwardly extending members of which are inclined outwardly, forming a V- shaped opening between the same at right angles to the line of the trolley-wire, substantially as described, and for the purposes specified.

2. The herein-described device for replacing trolleys, consisting in the combination, with the trolley-pole 5, of a bifurcated leverarm composed of the inclined arms 7 and 8 and loop 10, by which the arms 7 and 8 are made integral with each other and are operated together, the said bifurcated lever-arm being pivotally secured to the trolley-pole 5 by the axial bolt 11 of the trolley 4, and the operatingwope 9, combined and operating substantially in the manner and for the purposes specified.

In testimony whereof I have aflixed my signature, in presence of two witnesses, this 5th day of April, 1892.

CHARLES FORTIN. Witnesses:

W. M. BYRNE, H. K. WAGNER. 

